Engine starting device

ABSTRACT

An engine starting device includes: a portable unit including a transmitting unit capable of transmitting an ID code; a control unit including a receiving unit receiving the ID code, and a determination unit determining whether the received ID code is a pre-registered legitimate ID; a main body part including an operation knob rotationally operated between an off position and an on position; and a regulation unit configured to regulate a rotational operation of the operation knob, and to release a rotation-regulated state of the operation knob on condition that the received ID code is determined as a legitimate ID. The regulation unit is attached to a left side part of the main body part and the control unit is attached to a right side part of the main body part, as seen from a driver seat-side of the vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromprior Japanese patent application No. 2016-249282, filed on Dec. 22,2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to an engine starting device configured toallow engine starting on condition that an ID code transmitted from atransmitting unit is determined as a pre-registered legitimate ID.

In recent years, in order to prevent theft of a vehicle to occur at ahigh level, a so-called smart entry system has been proposed whichincludes a transmitting unit to be carried by a driver and capable oftransmitting an ID code inherent to a vehicle, and a receiving unitcapable of receiving the ID code, and which is configured to allow avariety of operations including engine starting on condition that the IDcode received by the receiving unit is a legitimate ID. For example, inthe case of a smart entry system for a two-wheeled vehicle, when adriver carrying a portable device (transmitting unit) approaches, an IDcode transmitted from the transmitting unit is received by a receivingunit provided to the vehicle and is determined whether it is apre-registered legitimate ID, and an engine starting operation isallowed only when the ID code is a legitimate ID.

Also, regarding the two-wheeled vehicle including the smart entrysystem, an ignition switch device has been proposed which includes anoperation knob, which can be rotationally operated on condition that itis determined that a legitimate ID code is received, and which allowsthe engine starting by rotationally operating the operation knob (forexample, refer to JP-A-2005-112048). The ignition switch device isconfigured to enable the operation knob to be rotationally operated froman off position to an on position or a lock position, to allow theengine starting at the on position and to lock a bar-shaped handleprovided to the vehicle at the lock position.

However, the related art has the following problem.

In the vehicle having the bar-shaped handle, such as the two-wheeledvehicle, in general, a lock bar projects to lock the bar-shaped handlein a state where the bar-shaped handle is rotationally operatedleftward. In the state where the bar-shaped handle is locked in thisway, the right side is located above and the left side is located below,as seen from the driver seat-side. Therefore, if the receiving unit isarranged at the left side, for example, there is a possibility that theID code transmitted from the transmitting unit is not securely andfavorably received at the receiving unit.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made in view of the above situations, andan object thereof is to provide an engine starting device of a vehicle,to which a smart entry system is to be applied, capable of causing areceiving unit to securely and favorably receive an ID code transmittedfrom a transmitting unit.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an enginestarting device comprising: a portable unit which can be carried by adriver, and in which a transmitting unit capable of transmitting an IDcode inherent to a vehicle is arranged; a control unit which includes asubstrate on which a receiving unit capable of receiving the ID codetransmitted from the transmitting unit, and a determination unitconfigured to determine whether the ID code received by the receivingunit is a pre-registered legitimate ID are formed; a main body partwhich includes an operation knob configured to be rotationally operatedbetween an off position at which an engine of the vehicle is to bestopped and an on position at which the engine is to be started, andwhich is capable of being fixed between a bar-shaped handle and a speedmeter of the vehicle; and a regulation unit which is configured toregulate a rotational operation of the operation knob, and which isconfigured to release a rotation-regulated state of the operation knobon condition that the ID code received by the receiving unit isdetermined as a legitimate ID by the determination unit, wherein theregulation unit is attached to a left side part of the main body partand the control unit is attached to a right side part of the main bodypart, as seen from a driver seat-side of the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view depicting an engine starting device in accordancewith an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a right side view depicting the engine starting device.

FIG. 3 is a left side view depicting the engine starting device.

FIG. 4 is a front view depicting the engine starting device.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view depicting the engine starting device.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a state where the engine starting device isattached to a vehicle, as seen from a driver seat-side.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a state where the engine starting device isattached to the vehicle, as seen from the driver seat-side of thevehicle.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a state where the engine starting device isattached to the vehicle, as seen from below.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram depicting a transmitting unit, a receivingunit and a determination unit of the engine starting device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an illustrative embodiment of the present invention will bespecifically described with reference to the drawings.

An engine starting device in accordance with an illustrative embodimentis to control engine starting and stop of a two-wheeled vehicle, and anouter shape thereof is mainly configured by a control unit 5 including asubstrate 11 accommodated therein, a main body part 6 having anoperation knob 7, and a regulation unit 8 having a solenoid, as shown inFIGS. 1 to 5, for example. The operation knob 7 is configured to berotationally operated between an off position at which an engine of thevehicle is to be stopped, an on position at which the engine is to bedriven, and a lock position at which a bar-shaped handle (H, B) (referto FIG. 6) provided to the vehicle is to be locked.

Also, as shown in FIG. 9, the engine starting device in accordance withthe illustrative embodiment includes: a portable unit 2 which can becarried by a driver and in which a transmitting unit 1 capable oftransmitting an ID code inherent to the vehicle is arranged; a receivingunit (3 a, 3 b) which is arranged at the vehicle-side and which has anantenna capable of receiving the ID code from the transmitting unit 1;and a determination unit 4 which is configured to determine whether theID code received by the receiving unit (3 a, 3 b) is a pre-registeredlegitimate ID.

The control unit 5 is formed by providing a case with the substrate 11including the receiving unit 3 a and the determination unit 4 formedthereon, and is attached to a side part of the main body part 6 by abolt or the like. In particular, in the illustrative embodiment, thereceiving unit 3 a having an RF antenna for performing communicationwith the portable unit 2 by a low-frequency radio wave and the receivingunit 3 b having an LF antenna for performing communication with theportable unit 2 by a high-frequency radio wave are provided, and thereceiving units 3 a, 3 b are arranged in the control unit 5. Also, thereceiving unit 3 a is a metal press-formed product provided on thesubstrate 11 arranged in the control unit 5, for example.

The transmitting unit 1 is arranged in the portable unit 2 and cantransmit an ID code via a radio wave or the like. When a driver carryingthe portable unit 2 approaches to the vehicle and performs apredetermined authentication starting operation (in the illustrativeembodiment, an operation of pushing the operation knob 7 to turn on anaccess switch 9), the receiving unit 3 a of the vehicle configured by anantenna and the like can receive the ID code. The determination unit 4is configured to compare a pre-registered ID code and the ID codereceived by the receiving unit 3 a, and determines that a legitimate IDcode is received when the ID codes coincide with each other.

The main body part 6 has the operation knob 7 at an upper end portionthereof, and can be fixed between the bar-shaped handle (H, B) and aspeed meter M of the vehicle, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8. Also, the mainbody part 6 includes the access switch 9 configured by a micro switch,an indicator 10 configured by an LED, a lock bar R and an attachmentpart W, in addition to the operation knob 7, and is fixed to a handlebracket B formed at a center of the bar-shaped handle of the vehicle.

The handle bracket B is a component configuring the bar-shaped handle ofthe vehicle. As shown in FIG. 6, handle bars H extend from both rightand left sides of the handle bracket B, a grasping grip is formed at atip end of the left handle bar H, and a throttle grip is formed at a tipend of the right handle bar H. When the handle bars H are rotationallyoperated leftward or rightward, a steering shaft S can be rotated inconjunction with the handle bracket B, and a front wheel of the vehiclecan be steered in the same direction.

Also, as shown in FIG. 7, the handle bracket B is formed with a pair ofprotrusions Ba. The main body part 6 is attached to the protrusions Ba.That is, the attachment part W of the main body part 6 and theprotrusions Ba are fixed to each other by bolts b, as shown in FIG. 8.Thereby, the main body part 6 is fixed to the handle bracket B (thebar-shaped handle), so that the main body part 6 is also rotated as thebar-shaped handle (H, B) is rotated.

Also, the operation knob 7 of the illustrative embodiment can berotationally operated not only to the off position and the on positionbut also to the lock position at which the bar-shaped handle (H, B)provided to the vehicle is to be locked, and the main body part 6 isprovided with a lock bar R that protrudes to lock the bar-shaped handle(H, B) of the vehicle when the operation knob 7 is rotationally operatedto the lock position. That is, when the operation knob 7 is rotationallyoperated from the off position to the lock position by rotating leftwardthe bar-shaped handle (H, B) of the vehicle by a predetermined angle,the lock bar R protrudes and can be engaged with an opening (a notch, ahole or the like) formed in a head pipe T of the vehicle, so that thebar-shaped handle (H, B) of the vehicle can be locked.

As described above, the access switch 9 arranged at the main body part 6is configured by a micro switch, and is turned on when the operationknob 7 is pushed, so that communication for authenticating with theportable unit 2 starts. Also, as described above, the indicator 10 isconfigured by an LED and is configured to blink or to be lighted oncondition that the ID code received by the receiving unit 3 a isauthenticated as a pre-registered legitimate ID.

In the meantime, a moveable contact, a fixed contact and the likeconfiguring an ignition switch are arranged at the main body part 6 ofthe illustrative embodiment. Therefore, when the operation knob 7 isrotationally operated from the off position to the on position, theengine of the vehicle is in a starting possible state, and when aseparate start button is pushed, the engine can be driven. Also, whenthe operation knob 7 is rotationally operated from the on position tothe off position, it is possible to stop the engine of the vehicle.

The regulation unit 8 is configured to regulate the rotational operationof the operation knob 7, and to release the rotation-regulated state ofthe operation knob 7 on condition that the ID code received by thereceiving unit 3 a is determined as a legitimate ID by the determinationunit 4. The regulation unit 8 of the illustrative embodiment isconfigured by a solenoid having an operator (not shown) configured to bedisplaceable by energization, and is attached to a side part of the mainbody part 6 with being accommodated in the case. Specifically, theoperator of the solenoid configuring the regulation unit 8 is engagedwith a coupling member (not shown) configured to couple the operationknob 7 and the ignition switch each other, so that the rotationaloperation of the operation knob 7 is regulated. When the determinationunit 4 determines that a legitimate ID is received, the regulation unit8 configured by the solenoid is energized, and the coupling member isdisengaged, so that the operation knob 7 can be rotationally operated.

In addition, the portable unit 2 of the engine starting device of theillustrative embodiment includes a battery (a button battery) foroperating the transmitting unit 1, and the control unit 5 has animmobilizer function capable of generating power for operating thetransmitting unit 1, instead of the power by the battery, on conditionthat a predetermined operation (in the illustrative embodiment, apushing operation of the access switch 9) is performed in a state wherethe portable unit 2 approaches within a predetermined distance (forexample, about 3 cm).

For example, upon emergency caused due to battery exhaustion of theportable unit 2, when the user pushes the operation knob 7 whilebringing the portable unit 2 close to the control unit 5 (particularly,the receiving unit 3 a configuring the RF antenna), the radio wave istransmitted from the receiving unit 3 a, and the energy of the radiowave is accumulated as the electric energy in a capacitor and the likeof the portable unit 2, so that the transmitting unit 1 is operated toperform communication for authentication with the receiving unit 3 a.

Herein, the engine starting device of the illustrative embodiment isconfigured so that the main body part 6, the control unit 5 and theregulation unit 8 are integrally formed to configure an integral unit Y.That is, the control unit 5 and the regulation unit 8 are respectivelyintegrally formed at the side parts of the main body part 6, so that theintegral unit Y is configured, which is attached between the bar-shapedhandle (specifically, the handle bracket B) and the speed meter M of thevehicle, as shown in FIG. 6.

Also, in the illustrative embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, as seenfrom the driver seat-side of the vehicle, the regulation unit 8 isattached to the right side part of the main body part 6, and the controlunit 5 is attached to the left side part of the main body part 6.Meanwhile, since the receiving unit (3 a, 3 b) requiring a relativelylarge space is arranged in the control unit 5, a size of the case of thecontrol unit is larger than the case of the regulation unit 8.

According to the illustrative embodiment, the main body part 6, thecontrol unit 5 and the regulation unit 8 are integrally formed toconfigure the integral unit Y. Therefore, it is possible to shorten thewiring (wiring cord) between the receiving unit (3 a, 3 b) or thedetermination unit 4 and the main body part 6 or the regulation unit 8of the vehicle to which a smart entry system is to be applied, and tosuppress the noise in the wiring and the mischief by the third party.

Also, the operation knob 7 of the illustrative embodiment can berotationally operated not only to the off position and the on positionbut also to the lock position at which the bar-shaped handle provided tothe vehicle is to be locked, and the main body part 6 is provided withthe lock bar R that protrudes to lock the bar-shaped handle of thevehicle when the operation knob 7 is rotationally operated to the lockposition. Therefore, like an ignition device of a universal vehiclehaving no smart entry system, it is possible to provide the main bodypart 6 with the function of locking the bar-shaped handle, in additionto the engine starting and stop.

Also, the main body part 6 of the illustrative embodiment is fixed tothe handle bracket B provided at the center of the bar-shaped handle ofthe vehicle and the control unit 5 and the regulation unit 8 areintegrally formed at the side parts of the main body part 6. Therefore,when operating the bar-shaped handle, it is possible to enable the mainbody part 6, the control unit 5 and the regulation unit 8 to smoothlyand favorably follow the operation.

Also, the portable unit 2 includes the battery for operating thetransmitting unit 1, and the control unit 5 has an immobilizer functioncapable of generating power for operating the transmitting unit 1,instead of the power by the battery, on condition that a predeterminedoperation is performed in a state where the portable unit 2 approacheswithin a predetermined distance. Therefore, when the battery of theportable unit 2 is exhausted, it is possible to use the immobilizerfunction as an emergency function.

In particular, according to the illustrative embodiment, as seen fromthe driver seat-side of the vehicle, the regulation unit 8 is attachedto the left side part of the main body part 6 and the control unit 5 isattached to the right side part of the main body part 6. Therefore, itis possible to securely and favorably receive the ID code transmittedfrom the transmitting unit 1 at the receiving unit (3 a, 3 b) of thevehicle to which a smart entry system is to be applied.

That is, in the case of a vehicle having a bar-shaped handle, such as atwo-wheeled vehicle, the lock bar R normally protrudes to lock thebar-shaped handle in a state where the bar-shaped handle is rotationallyoperated leftward. In the state where the bar-shaped handle is locked inthis way, the right side is located above and the left side is locatedbelow, as seen from the driver seat-side. Therefore, when the controlunit 5 is attached to the right side, like the illustrative embodiment,it is possible to securely and favorably receive the ID code transmittedfrom the transmitting unit 1 at the receiving unit (3 a, 3 b) in thecontrol unit 5.

Also, upon emergency such as battery exhaustion of the portable unit 2,it is necessary to bring the portable unit 2 close to the control unit5, as described above. Since the right side is located above upon thelocking by the lock bar R, when the control unit 5 is attached to theright side, like the illustrative embodiment, it is possible to easilybring the portable unit 2 close to the control unit 5, and to easilyreceive the radio wave from the receiving unit 3 a to securely operatethe transmitting unit 1, so that it is possible to securely perform theimmobilizer function.

Although the illustrative embodiment has been described, the presentdisclosure is not limited thereto, and the other components can also beattached inasmuch as the main body part 6, the control unit 5 and theregulation unit 8 are integrally formed to configure the integral unitY, and as seen from the driver seat-side of the vehicle, the regulationunit 8 is attached to the left side part of the main body part 6 and thecontrol unit 5 is attached to the right side part of the main body part6. Also, regarding the access switch 9 and the indicator 10, the othertypes of switches and indicators may also be used, or the access switch9 and the indicator 10 may not be provided.

An aspect of the invention provides an engine starting devicecomprising: a portable unit which can be carried by a driver, and inwhich a transmitting unit capable of transmitting an ID code inherent toa vehicle is arranged; a control unit which includes a substrate onwhich a receiving unit capable of receiving the ID code transmitted fromthe transmitting unit, and a determination unit configured to determinewhether the ID code received by the receiving unit is a pre-registeredlegitimate ID are formed; a main body part which includes an operationknob configured to be rotationally operated between an off position atwhich an engine of the vehicle is to be stopped and an on position atwhich the engine is to be started, and which is capable of being fixedbetween a bar-shaped handle and a speed meter of the vehicle; and aregulation unit which is configured to regulate a rotational operationof the operation knob, and which is configured to release arotation-regulated state of the operation knob on condition that the IDcode received by the receiving unit is determined as a legitimate ID bythe determination unit, wherein the regulation unit is attached to aleft side part of the main body part and the control unit is attached toa right side part of the main body part, as seen from a driver seat-sideof the vehicle.

According to the aspect of the invention, as seen from the driverseat-side of the vehicle, the regulation unit is attached to the leftside part of the main body part and the control unit is attached to theright side part of the main body part. Therefore, it is possible tosecurely and favorably receive the ID code transmitted from thetransmitting unit at the receiving unit of the vehicle to which a smartentry system is to be applied.

The operation knob may be configured to be rotationally operated to alock position at which the bar-shaped handle provided to the vehicle isto be locked, in addition to the off position and the on position, andthe main body part may be provided with a lock bar which protrudes tolock the bar-shaped handle of the vehicle when the operation knob isrotationally operated to the lock position.

In this case, the operation knob can be rotationally operated not onlyto the off position and the on position but also to the lock position atwhich the bar-shaped handle provided to the vehicle is to be locked, andthe main body part is provided with the lock bar that protrudes to lockthe bar-shaped handle of the vehicle when the operation knob isrotationally operated to the lock position. Therefore, like an ignitiondevice of a universal vehicle having no smart entry system, it ispossible to provide the main body part with the function of locking thebar-shaped handle, in addition to the engine starting and stop.

The main body part, the control unit and the regulation unit may beintegrally formed to configure an integral unit.

In this case, the main body part, the control unit and the regulationunit are integrally formed to configure the integral unit. Therefore, itis possible to shorten the wiring between the receiving unit or thedetermination unit and the main body part, and to suppress the noise inthe wiring and the mischief by the third party.

The portable unit may include a battery for operating the transmittingunit, and the control unit may have an immobilizer function capable ofgenerating power for operating the transmitting unit, instead of powerby the battery, on condition that a predetermined operation is performedin a state where the portable unit approaches within a predetermineddistance.

The portable unit includes the battery for operating the transmittingunit, and the control unit has the immobilizer function capable ofgenerating power for operating the transmitting unit, instead of thepower by the battery, on condition that a predetermined operation isperformed in a state where the portable unit approaches within apredetermined distance. Therefore, when the battery of the portable unitis exhausted, it is possible to use the immobilizer function as anemergency function.

The present invention can also be applied to an engine starting devicehaving a different outer shape or other function added thereto inasmuchas it is an engine starting where the regulation unit is attached to theleft side part of the main body part and the control unit is attached tothe right side part of the main body part, as seen from the driverseat-side of the vehicle.

What is claimed is:
 1. An engine starting device comprising: a portableunit which can be carried by a driver, and in which a transmitting unitcapable of transmitting an ID code inherent to a vehicle is arranged; acontrol unit which includes a substrate on which a receiving unitcapable of receiving the ID code transmitted from the transmitting unit,and a determination unit configured to determine whether the ID codereceived by the receiving unit is a pre-registered legitimate ID areformed; a main body part which includes an operation knob configured tobe rotationally operated between an off position at which an engine ofthe vehicle is to be stopped and an on position at which the engine isto be started, and which is capable of being fixed between a bar-shapedhandle and a speed meter of the vehicle; and a regulation unit which isconfigured to regulate a rotational operation of the operation knob, andwhich is configured to release a rotation-regulated state of theoperation knob on condition that the ID code received by the receivingunit is determined a legitimate ID by the determination unit, whereinthe regulation unit is attached to a left side part of the main bodypart and the control unit is attached to a right side part of the mainbody part, as seen from a driver seat-side of the vehicle.
 2. The enginestarting device according to claim 1, wherein the operation knob isconfigured to be rotationally operated to a lock position at which thebar-shaped handle provided to the vehicle is to be locked, in additionto the off position and the on position, and the main body part isprovided with a lock bar which protrudes to lock the bar-shaped handleof the vehicle when the operation knob is rotationally operated to thelock position.
 3. The engine starting device according to claim 1,wherein the main body part, the control unit and the regulation unit areintegrally formed to configure an integral unit.
 4. The engine startingdevice according to claim 1, wherein the portable unit includes abattery for operating the transmitting unit, and the control unit has animmobilizer function capable of generating power for operating thetransmitting unit, instead of power by the battery, on condition that apredetermined operation is performed in a state where the portable unitapproaches within a predetermined distance.